DJs hold memorial at site of Supernova rave massacre

A group of Israeli DJs held a memorial at the site of the Supernova music festival, marking the place where 364 people were killed and more than 35 taken hostage on October 7.

DJ Asher Swissa, known as Skazi, tells NPR that he was away on October 7, when Hamas terrorists attacked the desert rave.

“It’s not a massacre only of people,” says Swissa. “It’s a massacre of music, of freedom, of something much bigger than us.”

The audience was made up of placards with the faces of those killed and help captive, with the faces of those murdered projected on screens.

Bar Makos, 31, and his twin brother came for closure after escaping the October 7 slaughter.

“We came back to come full circle,” says Makos.

The two brothers escaped in their car that day on dirt roads, and planned to leave the same way after returning for the memorial. Bar says it’s the first time he’s listened to music since the attack, weeping as he speaks.

“And this is the first time I’ve been able to cry,” he says. “The music is bringing it out.”

He says that his wish is that Israel’s close-knit rave community can start dancing together again.